On-site hydrogen generation for vehicle fueling is increasingly being considered as a viable option as on-site hydrogen generation technologies improve in performance and reliability.  The relatively low cost of hydrogen from on-site generation as well as the overall emissions footprint of the hydrogen infrastructure has become an important focus for fleet operators.  In early fuel cell vehicle demonstrations, hydrogen supplies were generally obtained from conventional sources.  The capital cost of equipment was moderate, but the unit cost of hydrogen was typically quite high.  For fuel cell fleets with a few passenger cars, this might not be very important because the primary purpose of the demonstration was to begin collecting fuel cell vehicle data.

Recent fuel cell demonstration programs have begun to look at the overall commercial viability and environmental impact of the combined fuel infrastructure and vehicle fleet.  For example, recent projects have focused on buses, which can consume large quantities of hydrogen and on industrial trucks (forklifts).  In both cases, the unit cost of hydrogen is an important consideration because of the quantity of fuel required and because a lower fuel cost helps improve the commercial appeal of the vehicle.

GTI has developed fueling solutions that are intended to be commercially viable for a large number of applications.  A “template” fueling solution that relies on existing fuel networks (such as the natural gas pipeline network) reduces both capital and operating costs.  GTI has found, however that this template must retain some flexibility for the different needs of each hydrogen vehicle application.

The presenter will review recent infrastructure installation projects in which GTI has participated, contrasting the similarities and differences.  There are a variety of technical, economic, and social/political considerations that go into the identification of an ideal fueling infrastructure.  The presentation will not just list projects and technologies, but will delve into how and why specific decisions were made to select one technology over another.